# Pine Grosbeak (*Pinicola enucleator*) The Pine Grosbeak is a colorful bird that loves to eat seeds and berries. With its bright plumage, it can be spotted in snowy forests, making it a beautiful sight during winter. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Pine Grosbeak](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pinicola_enucleator%252C_Kotka%252C_Finland_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jyrki Salmi from Finland, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinicola_enucleator%252C_Kotka%252C_Finland_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Pine Grosbeak is a large, stout finch with a thick, conical beak. Males display a striking rosy-red plumage over most of their body, contrasted with dusky wings. Females and immatures are primarily grey with yellowish or orange-tinged heads and rumps, making them look quite different. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Fringillidae - **Genus:** Pinicola ## Interesting facts - Male Pine Grosbeaks aren't always bright red; sometimes they're duller orange or even yellow! - Their scientific name 'Pinicola enucleator' literally means 'pine dweller who takes out kernels'! - They are the largest finches in North America, bigger than many sparrows! - They can hang upside down like acrobats to reach tasty berries or seeds high up in trees. ## Special abilities - **Winter Warrior:** Pine Grosbeak can survive frigid temperatures because of their dense feather insulation and ability to shiver, generating warmth. - **Seed Cracker Beak:** Pine Grosbeak has a powerful, conical beak that helps them crack open tough conifer seeds and eat hard buds with ease. - **Irruptive Navigator:** Pine Grosbeak can travel long distances to find food, moving south unpredictably during harsh winters with scarce resources. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-25 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-36 cm - **Weight:** 0.052-0.078 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-8 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-5 - **Incubation:** 13-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 1000 km ## Diet & Feeding They mainly eat seeds, buds, and fruits found in cold, northern forests. - **Primary Foods:** Pine seeds, Spruce buds, Larch needles, Mountain ash berries, Rose hips - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Lodgepole Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lodgepole-pine) (*Pinus contorta*) — eats its seeds and buds, aiding in dispersal. - **Eats:** [White Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-spruce) (*Picea glauca*) — feeds on its seeds and buds, a key winter food source. - **Eats:** American Mountain Ash (*Sorbus americana*) — relies on its berries for food, especially in winter. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Goshawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-goshawk) (*Accipiter gentilis*) — is a potential prey for this swift forest hawk. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pine Grosbeak? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pine Grosbeak? 20-25 cm ### What is Pine Grosbeak's wingspan? 30-36 cm ### How much does Pine Grosbeak weigh? 0.052-0.078 kg ### How long does Pine Grosbeak live? 5-8 years ### How fast can Pine Grosbeak move? 45 km/h ### What does Pine Grosbeak eat? They mainly eat seeds, buds, and fruits found in cold, northern forests. ### Where is Pine Grosbeak usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Minnesota Landscape Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/minnesota-landscape-arboretum) — Minnesota, US · Botanical Garden - [Salem Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salem-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/georgetown-silver-plume-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Bear Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Daisetsuzan National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/daisetsuzan-national-park) — Hokkaido, JP · Park [View all places to see Pine Grosbeak](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pine-grosbeak) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Pine Grosbeak: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pine-grosbeak)